1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data CODEC system for computer, particularly to a CODEC mounted to a personal computer (PC), for performing various digital signal processes, such as compression or reconstruction of multichannel audio/speech or multimedia data, and more particularly to a PC-based multichannel audio/speech and data CODEC system having an acceleration function for processing multimedia data and a function of inputting or outputting multichannel audio/speech from or to an external system.
2. Description of Related Art
Functions of existing computer audio processing systems are limited to a stereo-audio process and the existing systems have only functions of inputting and outputting stereo/mono audio/speech signals and simple compression and reconstruction functions. Consequently, the existing computer audio processing systems cannot provide means for input and playback of high quality multichannel audio.
Although an existing multichannel audio input-output system is provided with multichannel audio, it just provides simple input-output functions such as record and playback or is used as an expensive independent system supporting special functions. Therefore, it is a system for professional experts, so it is used by a few particular users as needed.
Recently, users demands for multimedia service and multimedia are increasing and such service has been rapidly spread out via an internet. For example, the internet is providing transmission of high quality audio/video on demand, video conference between multiple points, and home shopping.
As the PC has been used in more and more fields, it has needed for the PC to process various multimedia data. However, conventional technology substantially has limitation, so it is urgently required to develop technology for enhancing efficiency of the present PC.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a PC-based multichannel audio/speech and data CODEC system having acceleration and input-output functions for multimedia data processing that substantially obviates one or more of the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a PC-based multichannel audio/speech and data CODEC system mounted to a PC, which has functions of communicating various data with storage media in the PC, performing various multimedia processing by controlling the system with system control software which executes load of application programs via the storage media of the PC, exchange of system control data and status information, and transmission of audio, speech, and multimedia data, and acceleration for compression and reconstruction of multichannel audio, speech, and multimedia data at high speed or in real time with the aid of an internal high performance digital signal processor (DSP) engine, as well as a function of inputting and outputting multichannel audio, speech, and data from or to an external system.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure as illustrated in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention as embodied and broadly described, a PC-based multichannel audio/speech and data CODEC system comprises: system control software for communicating multichannel audio/speech and data with multichannel audio/speech and data signal processing means according to control of various PC application programs; a multichannel audio/speech and data signal processing section for processing multichannel audio/speech and data using application programs according to control of the system control software; and a multichannel audio/speech and data input-output section for inputting or outputting multichannel audio/speech and multimedia data from or to an external system.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.